Michael Johnson

After Dinner Speaker

Four time Olympic Gold medallist and the 200m/400m sprinting legend, Michael Johnson is a commentator for the BBC and a cracking motivational speaker on the subjects of overcoming obstacles and performing under pressure.

Expertise

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The best 200/400 metre sprinter in the history of the sport of track & field, Johnson¡¦s progression through the ranks was swift and stunning. A dual event world champion, the likes of which nobody had ever seen before, he dominated the international scene winning a spectacular 19 international gold medals without a single silver or bronze.

As an athlete, Michael Johnson accomplished many firsts, including becoming the first man ever to be ranked #1 in the world at both 200 metres and 400 metres, the first man to win both events at an Olympic Games and the first man to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 400m. Johnson broke the world record for 200m and 400m during his career and retired in 2000 with four Olympic gold medals and nine World Championship gold medals to his name.Michael Johnson

Michael credits his achievements to a consistent philosophy of success which he applied over his 11 year career. He learnt early on that the amount of success he experienced was directly related to his level of effort, but beyond this he worked on the principle that to be successful in anything an individual must start with a goal. Only the individual can determine what success means for them. For him it was not being the fastest man, but becoming the best athlete he could possibly be. It was this goal which enabled him to map out the steps he had to take, and motivated him to train hard every day and commit to the sacrifices involved. As he learnt more about his strengths and weaknesses as an individual he was able to adapt his plan, learning how to overcome obstacles and how to achieve his personal best while competing under tremendous pressure.

Post athletics Johnson has taken the philosophy of success honed during his career and applied it to various business ventures, including Michael Johnson Performance, a sports performance training company which provides training and consulting to professional athletes and sports teams all over the world. His sport management company, Ultimate Performance, represents some of the top track and field athletes in the world, and his other business adventures include various real estate and hotel development projects.

Alongside this he has gone on to establish himself as a leading corporate motivational speaker, having worked with such companies as Microsoft, Sony, UBS, Bank of Scotland, and Proctor and Gamble. He has also achieved success as a television commentator and personality working for BBC sport. Away from the corporate world he serves on the board of the Laureus World Sports Academy, whose Sport For Good Foundation seeks to achieve social change through the use of sport for children affected by social and political hardships.

Michael currently lives in San Francisco, California, with his wife and young son Sebastian.